aging loved one

Mim has been a member of the same church for over forty years. She’s served on the Women’s Ministry Council, sung in the choir, worked in the nursery, and is a prayer warrior. She’s adored by everyone who knows her. Now in her late eighties, Mim had a stroke. Her daughter flew up from Southern…

Have you ever flipped through old photos? Many times I don’t recognize the people whose picture I captured years ago. People pass in and out of our lives. We move. We change jobs or churches. We no longer have common interests. Sometimes a death occurs. With the result that a photo taken years ago no…

We wanted to share these ideas with our readers on how to help the Seniors in their life avoid isolation. Pass it along to anyone you know who cares for a loved one. It’s an unfortunate reality that many seniors find themselves terribly isolated. After a spouse passes away or a debilitating illness hits, it’s…

One of the most challenging facets of life is how quickly things change as a person ages. The time spent building a life, working hard, and raising a family seems to pass in an instant. Once the kids move out and start families of their own, a beautiful home can become an empty place. This…

“Mom, why do you have an entire shelf of plastic take-home containers?” “I might need them someday.” My mother’s answer is the same no matter what I ask. Plastic Cool Whip containers, empty sour cream tubs, tiny lidded bowls that once contained sauce. Old towels, empty coffee cans, and plastic bags of every size and…

First world problem – I have too much stuff. Too many shoes, way too many clothes, and things in my linen closet I haven’t touched in years. What to do? Purge. Repeat. Purge again. Mike and I are going from a three-bedroom, 2 ½ bath home to one very small bedroom in my mother’s townhome.…

“What would you think about moving in with Mom?” my husband asked one recent evening. Before the last syllable died in the ensuing silence, I was already shaking my head from side to side. “No. Nope. No way.” There would be bloodshed. Not mine. A few weeks later, he brought it up again. My 93-year-old…

Chronic pain is a ravenous beast. It desires to suck the joy out of our lives. It isn’t satisfied until every bit of life is squeezed from our wheezing, dying frame. It mocks our attempts to hold it at bay with pills and potions. Sometimes after a sharp prick from a needle, it will go…

Webster’s Dictionary defines a caregiver as “A person who cares for someone who is sick or disabled.” A caretaker, by contrast, is “A person who is in charge of the maintenance of a building, estate, etc.” But Webster’s goes on to say, “A person who takes care of another.” When I think of the word…

“My mom/dad is driving me crazy! She gets upset over the tiniest thing. She blames me when anything upsets her schedule.” Sound familiar? As a caregiver, you may have said the same thing on more than one occasion. I know I have. If you’re caring for an elderly parent, it’s important to remember they need routine. You may…